Project Description

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Pinnacle Imaging Systems™ Announces Licensing ofUltra HDRTMIP Coresto PowerNext GenerationHigh Dynamic RangeVideo and Still Cameras Belmont, C.A. –March 30, 2016–Today,

Pinnacle Imaging SystemsTM, the HDR experts defining the future of digital high dynamic range capture, announced the immediate availability of its new Ultra HDRTMIP cores and high dynamic range video capture technology. With the licensing of its HDR technology, Pinnacle Imaging is porting its capture technology, proven in its previous still-image software implementation, to embedded solutions for HDR video capture.Pinnacle Imaging’s Ultra HDR technology is an ideal solution for OEMor manufacturers looking to capture and render very high dynamic range scenesin digital video applications. Many industriesand applicationscan benefit from improved image detail in the deep shadow and bright highlight areas such as security and surveillance, intelligent traffic and transportation systems, after-market automotive camera systems, wearable camera and vision systems, etc.For more information on Pinnacle Imaging’s Ultra HDR technology, or to review samplevideo,please visit: http://www.ultrahdrvideo.com.Maximizing High Contrast SceneDetailwithUltra HDRTMand Scalable DesignDesignated Ultra HDRTM, Pinnacle Imaging’s patented HDR merge and tone mapping IP cores are modeled on true human visionto ensure preservation of a scene’strue colors throughout the tone mapping process.Ultra HDR provides capture and proprietary adaptive tone mapping ofHDR scenesup to19 EV or 115 dB.Pinnacle Imaging’s Ultra HDR technology can capture 120 fps (mergingfour exposures per frame), and stream full 1080 HDMI tone mapped video for display at up to 60fpsin real time.PinnacleImaging’s merge andtone mapping IP algorithms are scalable and flexible enough to accommodate different capture modes such as two, three or fourexposure brackets, dual conversiongain or any combination thereof. This enables the Ultra HDR technology to adapt to a number of different components, design prioritiesand BOM requirements.Ultra HDR IP Cores can be ported to support a number of different sensors types and logic (FPGA, ISP, DSP+SoC, or ASIC).“Even the most modern image sensors are limited in the dynamic range which they can capture,” said Alfred Zee, President&CEO of Pinnacle Imaging Systems. “We believe that cameras should be able to providethe same contrast range that we naturally seewith our own eyes, so we based our technology on the human vision model. It’s this unique approach that allows our Ultra HDR technology to deliver such color-accurate, high contrastvideo quality.”

Pinnacle Imaging Systems’Ultra HDR technology addressesmany of the complexities involved inHDR video capture including:•Automatic Ghost Removal& Halo Reduction–Compensates for movement between HDR exposures, from minimal camera motion to moving objectsbetween frames•Adaptive Local Tone Mapping–Automatically optimizesthe tone mapping parameters based on the shadow and highlight areas of each individual video frame to ensure a more natural look to the output video •Automatic White Balance Controls–Automatically calculatesproper white balance settings for any scene or lighting condition•Automatic Exposure Controls –Real time calculationand adjustment of thesensor’s exposure settingsbased on an automaticor manually selected region of interest to allow accurate exposure throughout a scene•Shadow Exposure Bias Option–Ability to bias tone mapping with an additional Shadow Tracking option during the Auto Exposure mode for optimal shadow detail and data preservation, a key requirement for surveillance applicationsWith initial FPGA implementationcompleted, Pinnacle Imaging IP blocks can now beported to ASIC, DSP+SoCsor ISPs.Industry Demands & Dev Kits AvailableNumerous industries are now demanding the ability to capture improved video quality of high contrast scenes only made possible by Ultra HDR video capture. Where standard dynamic range cameras simply sacrifice shadow or highlight detail in high contrast areas, video cameras incorporating Ultra HDR can deliver natural looking tone mapped image detail inboth the bright highlights and dark shadows.For example, compact POV actioncameras notoriously have difficulty in high contrastsituations. Pinnacle Imaging’s Ultra HDR technology allowsa skier to capture both highlight and shadow detaildespite the constant transition from brightwhite snow to shadedtrees.Similarly, embedded HDR capture improveshigh contrast situations such as a police dash cam that cannot provide sufficient detail ofa road-side encounter against oncoming headlights. This same technology allows surveillance cameras to tracka suspect from a sun-drenched parking lot into a dim interior.“We are currently seeinggrowingdemandfor HDR capabilities embedded intovideo cameras and production equipment,” said Ron Tussy, Director of Business Development for Pinnacle Imaging Systems. “Our proprietary embedded HDR tone mapping is a critical underlying technology necessary to improve data capture for technologies used in rangefindingandrecognition in automotive, security and surveillance or any other field demanding video to be captured acrossvery bright and very dark areas.”Engineers, developers and manufactures interested in learning more about how Pinnacle Imaging’s Ultra HDR technology can be integrated with their digital video capture devices can review sample videosand find more general information at http://www.ultrahdrvideo.com.

Developers interested in purchasing an Ultra HDR dev kit, should contact Ron Tussy at: 650-631-5737 [email protected] any media interested in learning more about the new solutions from Pinnacle Imaging, a member of the Pinnacle Imaging leadership team can be made available for interview and/or to provide a full demonstration of the Ultra HDR capabilities. Mr. Tussy will also be available to any media or exhibitors at the upcoming ISC West Expo being held April 6-8, 2016 in Las Vegas, NV.About Pinnacle Imaging Systems CorporationHeadquartered in Belmont, C.A., Pinnacle Imaging Systems, the HDR experts, is defining the future of digital high dynamic range capture and rendering.Built on a human vision model, itsUltra HDRTMtechnology deliversthe utmost image detail to high contrast video. Long trusted by photographers for its still image HDR software solutions, Pinnacle Imaging licenses its technology for applications that demand maximum image datasuch as military, surveillance, law enforcement, drone cameras, professional and consumer still and video cameras, etc. More information about Pinnacle Imaging Systems can be found at: https://xfuse.ai/.